Refuse vehicle body side door structure



Nov. 3, 1964 R. J. WALTER 3,154,819

REFUSE VEHICLE BODY SIDE DOOR STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1- i1 30 I :s H j 26 i! 1 l I I H I H 30 I i I l H H Li 1 1 1 1 1Jl 3 1 3 27 INVENTOR. Kobe/'7 e]. )Y/fer Nov. 3, 1964 R. J. WALTER REFUSE VEHICLE BODY szm: DOOR STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1963 INVENTOR. Robe/'7 1/. )Vafier A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,254,819 REFUSE VEHICLE BGDY D092 STRUCTURE Robert I. W alter, Kenmore, N.Y., assignor to Truck Equipment (30., Inc, Bufialo, N2 Filed Feb. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 26l,tl9 6 Claims. (Cl. -19) This invention relates to refuse collection vehicles and particularly to improvements in loading door arrangement and construction in refuse collection vehicle bodies.

In general, the present invention provides a novel closure arrangement for the opening through which refuse is loaded in refuse vehicle bodies. Particularly when refuse is manually loaded, it is desirable that the lower edge of the loading door opening be as low as is practical to minimize the lifting of refuse or refuse containers required to empty the refuse into the vehicle body. On the other hand, as the interior of the refuse vehicle body becomes filled the lower edge of the door opening must be high enough to prevent spilling of refuse from the vehicle body through the door opem'ng.

Because of the foregoing conflicting considerations it is desirable to provide a door structure having means for closing the opening at the lower side in various degrees so that the effective lower edge of the door opening is adjustable as to height. The structure of the present invention provides a lower closure arrangement which is very simple and rugged in construction and which may be arranged to close the lower portion of the door opening to various heights in an extremely simple, facile and foolproof manner.

While not limited to such use, the novel door arrangement of the present invention is particularly advantageous in connection with side loading door openings of packer or compaction bodies wherein a compacting member moves longitudinally within the vehicle body to compact refuse in an end thereof. Various problems are encountered due to the movement of the compacting member past the side loading door opening and past any closure member or members which may be provided for such opening.

The sectional door arrangement of the present invention is such that the inner surfaces of the door sections are flush with the interior surface of the body so that the compacting meat er passes the same smoothly and so that the possibility of refuse becoming lodged at the joints between the door sections and the body is minh'nized. Furthermore, while placement and removal of the door sections is extremely simple and can be accomplished very quickly, the door sections, when in closing position, are held in such a manner that their inner surfaces remain rigidly in alignment with the adjacent interior surfaces of the refuse receiving body of the vehicle.

This latter consideration is of particular concern in view of the spreading forces on the body and the door members which are incurred by movement of the compaction member against refuse in the body. in the present construction the spreading forces of compaction are adequately provided against by the manner in which the door sections are held inwardly toward the body by rigid retaining plates to maintain a flush interior surface, whether such surface be flat or curve While not limited thereto, the sectional door arrangement is particularly adaptable to cylindrical refuse bodies wherein the door opening curves arcuately in a generally vertical direction. A still further advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that there are no relatively movable parts or connections such as hinges, latches and the like.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the followin speciiication. However, it is to be understood that such embodiment is by way of example only and that various mechanical modifications may be made without departing from the principles of the invention and the scope thereof is limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fl. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a refuse vehicle body side door opening equipped with one form of the sectional door or closure arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the structure of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale, the cross-section being approximately on the line illl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one of the door or closure sections of FIGS. 1 and 2;

PEG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line lVlV of FlG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line VV of FIG. 2.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. In FIG. 1 the numeral ill designates generally a longitudinally extending refuse receiving cylindrical vehicle body having a side opening ll through which reruse is emptied thereinto. The sheet metal cylindrical skin which forms the body shell is designated 12 and encircling angle irons l3 and 14 which reinforce the body shell define the opposite side edges of opening ill. in the present instance body litl rests upon and is secured to a pair of spaced longitudinally extending frame members 15.

The bottom edge of door opening is defined by a sill member 2% which comprises an angle iron which extends generally along the interior of the body as a structural member and for other purposes. A plate member 21 welded in the angle of sill member 2% as shown in FIG. 2 extends the width of the door opem'ng and preferably somewhat beyond the opening at each side thereof, reinforcing the sill member in the region of the door openand forming the exterior portion of the bottom edge of the door opening. Furthermore, as will appear later herein, the upper portion of the composite sill structure 2%}, El forms a ledge against which the interior surface of the lower portion of the lowermost door section abuts securely when in use.

Three identical lower door sections, or units, are designated generally by the numeral 25 in the drawings and one such door section or unit will now be described in detail with particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Each door section comprises an arcuately curved panel portion 26 having channel formations 27 along its upper and lower edges. The opposite end edges of the panels 2% are plain and side rail members 2% in the form of angle irons are welded thereto as best shown in FIG. 5.

Longitudinally extending rods or bars 3t) are disposed along the upper and lower edges of each door section 25, lying between the rail members 23 and the outer flanges of channel members 28 and the outer flanges of channel formations 27 as best shown in PEG. 5. The bars 3% rigidly reinforce the door sections and extend beyond the panels 26 proper as clearly shown in FIG. 3 to form pintle portions 31 for retaining the door sections in a manner which will presently appear.

The means for supporting and retaining the door sec tions in either open or closed positions will now be described. A pair of angle members 35 are curved to conform generally to the curvature of angle irons l3 and i4 and one of the flanges of each angle member is welded along its upper portion to the outstanding flange of each of the angle irons 13 and 14 as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4. The lower portion of each angle member 35 is bent as shown in H6. 2 to flare outwardly from the angle irons 13 and 14 and the lower ends thereof are connected to the angle irons 13 and 14 by bracket or clip members 37 which are welded to the facing surfaces of angle irons 13 and i4 and to the lower ends of the angle members 35.

Thus the outer flanges of angle members 35 form retaining surfaces which engage the pintle formations 31 of the door sections 25 when the doors are being moved between open and closed positions, as will presently appear more clearly. Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the means for retaining the several door sections in closed position will now be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, angle clips 40 are welded edgewise to the encircling angle irons 13 and 14- adjacent to the sill structure 26, 21. A further pair of angle clips 41 are welded to plate 21 of the sill structure.

Rectangular plate members 42 are welded edgewise to angle irons 13 and 14 in abutment with the inner edges of angle members 35 as best shown in F165. 2 and 4. The several pairs of plate members 42 are located adjacent to the upper end of each door section 25 when such section is in its operative position. The manner in which one or more of the door sections, as required, are held in closed position will now be described in conjunction with a description of the manner in which such sections are moved from open to closed positions.

In FIG. 2 the three door sections or units 25 are shown in dot and dash lines in their positions of non-use where they are stored in the enlarged space formed between body and the outer flanges of angle members 35 by the divergence of the angle members at their lower portions. The lowermost section is retained by engagement of its pintle formations 31 with the outer flange of angle member 35 and the other two sections are stacked upon the lowermost section as shown. All three sections rest at their lower ends against clip members 37.

At this time the lower portion of door opening 11 is fully open and the lower edge is defined by sill structure 2t 21. If it be desired that the effective lower edge of the door opening be raised by the use of one of the door sections 25 an operator grasps the upper portion of the top section 25 of the stack of three sections shown in dot and dash lines in FIG. 2 and draws the section upwardly through the space between the angle clips and the outer flanges of angle members 35 until the door section is slightly above the final closed position thereof.

The door section is then moved inwardly toward body 10 and downwardly so that the lower edge of the door section rests upon the ledges formed by angle clips 41 and is held securely against the upper portion of plate member 21 by wedging engagement of lower pintles 31 within angle clips 4t At the same time upper pintles 31 move downwardly behind the lowermost pair of plate members 42 as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

Loading may now continue with the lower edge of opening 11 raised by the height of the lowermost door section 25. If the eflective lower edge of the door opening is to be raised further the next section is placed in closing position in the manner just described for the first section. It will be noted that such second section rests directly on the top of the first section with its upper and lower pintles 31 behind the Plate members 42.

The third section, if and when desired, is placed in closing position in an identical manner. While ample clearance is provided, it will be noted that undue inward movement of the upper edge of the lower section and both edges of the upper two sections is prevented by engagement of pintles 31 or rail members 28 against the base flanges of angle irons 13 and 14 as shown in FIG. 4.

Any of the door sections 25 may readily be removed completely, for replacement or for any other reason, by raising the same out of the upper end of the tracks formed by angle members 35. Flax-ing angle clips 45 at the upper ends of the angle members 35, as shown in FIG. 2, facilitate introducing door sections 25 into such track passages.

Iclaim:

1. In a sectional door structure for a refuse vehicle body having a door opening therein, track means extending along opposite sides of said door opening and extending substantially below the door opening, said track means comprising flanges spaced outwardly from said vehicle body and extending toward each other, door sections each having lateral projections at its upper and lower corners for engagement between said flanges and said body, the lower portions of said flanges being spaced from said body sufficiently to accommodate a plurality of door sections in generally stacked relation with the projections of the lowermost section retained by said flanges, said sections being manually movable individually upwardly with the lateral projections thereof retained by said flanges, a plurality of retaining plate members spaced 'mwardly of said flanges medially between said flanges and said body whereby a door section may be moved upwardly between said flanges and said plate members then inwardly toward said body and downwardly to dispose the upper and lower lateral projections thereof between said plate members and said body to retain the door section in closing position with respect to said door opening.

2. ln a'sectional door structure for a refuse vehicle body having a door opening therein, track means extending along opposite sides of said door opening and extending substantially below the door opening, said track means comprising flanges spaced outwardly from said vehicle body and extending toward each other, door sections each having lateral projections at its upper and lower edges for engagement between said flanges and said body, the lower portions of said flanges being spaced from said body sufficiently to accommodate a plurality of door sections in generally stacked relation with the projections of the lowermost section retained by said flanges, said sections being manually movable individually upwardly with the lateral projections thereof retained by said flanges, a plurality of retaining plate members spaced inwardly of said flanges medially between said flanges and said body whereby a door section may be moved upwardly between said flanges and said plate members then inwardly toward said body and downwardly to dispose the upper and lower lateral projections thereof between said plate members and said body to retain the door section in closing position with respect to said door opening, and means adjacent to the bottom edge of said door opening forming a ledge for supporting the lower edge of the lowermost door section.

3. In a sectional door structure for a refuse vehicle body having a door opening therein, track means extend ing along opposite sides of said door opening and extending substantially below the door opening, said track means comprising flanges spaced outwardly from said vehicle body and extending toward each other, door sections each having lateral projections at its upper and lower edges for engagement between said flanges and said body, the lower portions of said flanges being spaced from said body suficiently to accommodate a plurality of door sections in generally stacked relation with the projections of the lowermost section retained by said flanges, said sections being manually movable individually upwardly with the lateral projections thereof retained by said flanges, a plurality of retaining plate members spaced inwardly of 'said flanges medially between said flanges and said body whereby a door section may be moved upwardly between said flanges and said plate members then inwardly toward said body and downwardly to dispose the upper and lower lateral projections thereof between said plate members and said body to retain the door section in closing position with respect to said door opening, and means adjacent to the bottom edge of said door opening forming a ledge for supporting the lower edge of the lowermost door section, the lower edge of I each additional door section being adapted to seat against 5 the upper edge of the door section directly beneath the same when in operative position.

4. In a sectional door structure for a refuse vehicle body having a door opening therein, channel means forming facing trackways at opposite sides of said door opening and extending substantially below the door opening, door sections each having pintles projecting laterally at its upper and lower edges for engagement in said track- Way, the lower portions of said trackways being of a width to accommodate a plurality of door sections in generally stacked relation with the pintles of the lowermost section retained by said channel means and whereby said sections may be manually moved individually upwardly along said trackway, a plurality of retaining plate members spaced along each trackway medially thereof whereby a door section may be moved upwardly in said trackways outwardly of said plate members then moved inwardly toward said body and downwardly to dispose the upper and lower pintles thereof against the inner sides of said plate members to be retained thereby in closing position.

5. In a sectional door structure for a refuse vehicle body having a door opening therein, channel means forming facing trackways at opposite sides of said door opening and extending substantially below the door opening, door sections each having pintles projecting laterally at its upper and lower edges for engagement in said trackway, the lower portions of said trackways being of a width to accommodate a plurality of door sections in generally stacked relation with the pintles of the lowermost section retained by said channel means and whereby said sections may be manually moved individually upwardly along said trackway, a plurality of retaining plate members spaced along each trackway medially thereof whereby a door section may be moved upwardly in said trackways outwardly of said plate members then moved inwardly toward said body and downwardly to dispose the upper and lower pintles thereof against the inner sides of said plate members to be retained thereby in closing position, and means adjacent to the bottom edge of said door opening forming a ledge for supporting the lower edge of the lowermost door section.

6. In a sectional door structure for a refuse vehicle body having a door opening therein, channel means forming facin trackways at opposite sides of said door opening and extending substantially below the door opening, door sections each having pintles projecting laterally at its upper and lower edges for engagement in said track- Way, the lower portions of said trackways being of a width to accommodate a plurality of door sections in generally stacked relation with the pintles of the lowermost section retained by said channel means and whereby said sections may be manually moved individually up wardly along said trackway, a plurality of retaining plate members spaced along each trackway medially thereof whereby a door section may be moved upwardly in said trackways outwardly of said plate members then moved inwardly toward said body and downwardly to dispose the upper and lower pintles thereof against the inner sides of said plate members to be retained thereby in closing position, and means adjacent to the bottom edge of said door opening forming a ledge for supporting the lower edge of the lowermost door section, the lower edge of each additional door section being adapted to seat against the upper edge of the door section directly beneath the same when in operative position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,011,036 8/11 Hugunin 2030 1,989,391 1/35 Whittier 160-32 2,194,230 3/40 Lewis 2030 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,090,453 10/54 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SECTIONAL DOOR STRUCTURE FOR A REFUSE VEHICLE BODY HAVING A DOOR OPENING THEREIN, TRACK MEANS EXTENDING ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID DOOR OPENING AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE DOOR OPENING, SAID TRACK MEANS COMPRISING FLANGES SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID VEHICLE BODY AND EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OTHER, DOOR SECTIONS EACH HAVING LATERAL PROJECTIONS AT ITS UPPER AN LOWER CORNERS FOR ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AND SAID BODY, THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FLANGES BEING SPACED FROM SAID BODY SUFFICIENTLY TO ACCOMMODATE A PLURALITY OF DOOR SECTIONS IN GENERALLY STACKED RELATION WITH THE PROJECTIONS OF THE LOWERMOST SECTION RETAINED BY SAID FLANGES, SAID SECTIONS BEING MANUALLY MOVABLE INDIVIDUALLY UPWARDLY WITH THE LATERAL PROJECTIONS THEREOF RETAINED BY SAID FLANGES, A PLURALITY OF RETAINING PLATE MEMBERS SPACED INWARDLY OF SAID FLANGES MEDIALLY BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AND SAID BODY WHEREBY A DOOR SECTION MAY BE MOVED UPWARDLY TOWARD SAID BODY AND PLATE MEMBERS THEN INWARDLY TOWARD SAID BODY AND DOWNWARDLY TO DISPOSE THE UPPER AND LOWER LATERAL PROJECTIONS THEREOF BETWEEN SAID PLATE MEMBERS AND BODY TO RETAIN THE DOOR SECTION IN CLOSING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID DOOR OPENING. 